Climbing Mount Washington

It was the scariest moment of my life. I thought I might die at any moment.

One wrong move and the minivan with the whole family inside would plunge to our deaths. And it was all in my hands.

Mount Washington, New Hampshire, is a mountain with the highest peak in Northeastern United States at 6288 feet. But you don’t have to be a mountain climber to climb to the peak. You can drive up these very winding roads – with no guard rails! – that lead you up the mountain. And at the top you can get one of those ubiquitous bumper stickers, “This Car Climbed Mount Washington.”

Although my friend told me that he was too scared to drive up the mountain, I figured, “What’s the big deal? If there’s a road, just drive on it and stay straight.”

I had no idea what I was in for.

Somehow, we made it up the mountain primarily because I refused to look down or to the sides. If I did, I thought I’d have a nervous breakdown.

Up on the mountain, we took the walking path to the actual peak, and each of us posed for a picture to serve as proof of our feat. We came down from the peak, walked around the museum, relaxed and took a break. While perusing the museum, I stumbled upon one part which describes all of the climbing accidents, climbers and cars full of people who died on the mountain. It freaked me out.

It wasn’t enough that I had the very difficult task before me to drive down a winding 6000 foot mountain road with no guard rails. On top of that, the weather took a big turn for the worse. It began while we were up on the walking path. Heavy rain, wind, fog, my glasses fogging up.

I would have to drive down this dangerous mountain in heavy fog and pouring rain, with almost zero visibility.

We couldn’t even wait out the storm because it was nearing closing time for the mountain top visitor center.

There was no choice. I would have to drive down the most dangerous mountain in the Northeast, in heavy fog and pouring rain, with almost zero visibility, with the possibility of other cars driving the other way on a very narrow road.

Ahhhhhhh!!!

But I couldn’t let my family know just how scared I was. They saw me being quiet and tense but I was able to project a general sense of “I can do this,” though I really felt, “How can I do this?!”

I asked everyone in the car to be pretty quiet and allow me to concentrate on moving slowly, steadily, and straight, foot by foot. I also asked them to silently pray and say some Psalms asking God to help us through.

Wind moved our car as we drove. Rain splashed on the windshield. Fog blocked vision. Other cars indeed passed us the opposite way, leaving us a mere few feet from the cliff. But we trudged along, ignoring the recommendations of the signs to stop the car and let the brakes cool down. I knew that if I stopped, I really might have a nervous breakdown.

I have never felt such stress. If the car would skid or slip even slightly to the left or to the right, who knows what could happen. I couldn’t finish such a thought.

Slowly but surely, after around double the amount of time it usually takes to get down the mountain, it was over.

Thank God, we made it!

After finding a place to park, I turned to my family and screamed, “That was the hardest, mentally taxing experience I ever had!”

I had to rest and chill for a half-hour to get back to myself. We headed back to our hotel and I felt like a hero.

What an amazing feat, I kept thinking. What a story to tell. I felt a personal sensation of glory.

But that all changed very rapidly.

We drove up to the hotel and drove our car into the underground garage. Suddenly, we heard a very loud crash.

I had neglected to pay attention to the signs warning that the garage only fits cars under a certain height and our car’s top carrier, which held our luggage, took us over the limit.

We got out of the car and saw the destroyed carrier in pieces all over the parking lot.

In a matter of minutes, I had gone from feeling like a hero to feeling like a fool.

After dealing with the massive clean-up, and relaxing in the hotel’s whirlpool after a really harrowing day, the thought occurred to me.

I was able to accomplish the ‘big deal’ feat today but I failed at a routine activity.

That’s one of the big problems we face in life.

We can muster up the spiritual adrenaline to succeed at ‘big things,’ but how do we do in the simple ‘small stuff’?

Our Sages tell us that God does not bring greatness upon a person until He tests him in a small matter (Shemot Rabbah 2:2). The lesson is that the greater you become, the more you must appreciate small accomplishments. The reality is that nothing is insignificant when it comes to spiritual growth.

Greatness requires the small but consistent decisions to do the right thing, when there is no spiritual adrenaline present.

It can be an easier decision to die for God than to live day-to-day for Him. There is no question that martyrdom is a very difficult test, but it only takes a minute and then it’s over. To live an entire life committed to growth and getting close to God may be even more difficult. It requires the small but consistent decisions to do the right thing when there is no spiritual crisis or adrenaline present.

It’s not enough to care about the big aspects of life; true greatness can only be achieved through the caring about the small but steady things of life.

As we enter the season of repentance in the Jewish month of Elul, we would do well to keep all this in mind.

Daily kindnesses, smiling at people, greeting them warmly, reciting prayers with awareness and focus, studying Torah with energy. These are the things we face all the time and must look to improve.

It’s great to climb Mount Washington once in a while, but it’s even more wonderful to work on the steady, daily, less glamorous activities which lead us to true spiritual greatness.

Rabbi Boruch Leff is a vice-principal at Torah Institute in Baltimore. "Are You Growing?" (Feldheim), his just released book, is a must read if you want to grow spiritually. Click here for info on the book.

I, too, drove up and down Mt. Washington in the summer of 2010. I was alone, just me and my thoughts. A few observations: you actually get the bumper sticker as you pay and go through the gate. I followed all the rules--low gear, both going up and coming down. The day I went it was smooth sailing until getting near 4500 feet or so. Then the trip was bad: It was so foggy, and rainy you literally could not see 10 feet ahead of you. I kept it slow, and eventually found tail lights ahead of me that i followed up and up. My heart was pounding, but I made it to the summit. I walked around in the wind and the rain (note: bring a winter jacket, even in the summer). It was so bad up there, that on the walk back to my car, i passed it. It was 10 feet away, and I couldn't see it. I took every advantage of the turnoffs to let my brakes rest, and once I got below 4500 feet, again it was smooth. It was the most exhilarating thing I had done, and I got to see one of G-d's magnificent creations. I look forward to going back someday.

(14)
Raffie Zuroff,
August 27, 2012 6:57 PM

Happy your alive

Very moving & meaningful article. I literally felt like I was there in the car with you as you worked your way down. Please don't do that again!

Cincy Rabbis Club Member (not),
August 28, 2012 5:47 PM

Stop sticking up for your ex-Cincy friends!

Moving? Meaningful? How about NUTS!!! why take your whole family on a risk-of-death-experience?! If you want to thrill-seek go ahead and do it yourself. That's ok for you, the Rabbi. But why potentially wipe out your entire family with you? Yes, this was meaningful. It was m-e-a-n to put your family through that. Who's paying for their therapy? Us, the tax-payers?
Acrophobia Anonymous for all of them? Maybe they can get the group-rate?

John Kalen,
August 29, 2012 2:26 AM

What are you smoking?

So brave Mr. Anon. to lash out at Raffie and Rabbi Leff like that. Tens of 1000's of people make the drive every year so it can't be that dangerous. Rabbi Leff did not take his family to risk death, chas v'shalom, you idoit. Without the storm it would have been a decent drive. Could they have known it would be a big storm? Why the hate buddy?

John Kalen responder,
August 29, 2012 12:50 PM

Raffie is Rabbi to you- Show some respect!

Hey Johny-
I have treated MANY children with severe injuries (head traumas especially) and after you have done that get back to me on "hate". "Hate" to care about his family? "Hate" to love your fellow Jew and not want them to get rolled down a 6000 foot moountain? Sounds hateful to me, you're right.
As an aside, there was more to my post that was left off which had a more jovial/loving tone to it, not sure why Aish left it off.
And calling a fellow Jew an idOIT is hateful I believe (and a lack of spellcheck BUDDY)
Happy New Year to you!
(p.s.- I quit smoking last month, how did you know? Thanks for the well meaning concern)

John Kalen,
August 29, 2012 2:25 PM

So identify yourself buddy

Let's see you know you're a doctor. Hmmm. I know a few Cincy doctors and I am guessing who this is. But I'll let you 'out' yourself buddy.

(13)
Avraham Turetsky,
August 27, 2012 5:57 PM

here's how to safely drive down steep hills

User "maf" is absolutely right - instead of using regular brakes when going down long steep hills, which is both dangerous and very harmful to your brakes, use engine braking instead. Here's a great explanation of how to do it: http://travel.thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/downhilldriving.php

(12)
Paula,
August 27, 2012 5:02 PM

Holy cow!

I did that drive about 40 years ago...I still haven't gotten over it!!! I can't believe they haven't made it safer in all that time. I EARNED that bumper sticker! I loved you story and the great lesson. Toda Raba!

(11)
Anonymous,
August 27, 2012 4:04 PM

Ways up/down Mt. Wash.

Don't avoid Mt. Washington. Take the train, or the vans. (vans are modified just for this road). Let a pro do the drive. Relax and enjoy. And never buy a used car sporting the sticker "this car climbed Mt. Washington" if you value the breaks!!! Best ride ever? Snow cat in winter (my husband and I have volunteered in winter, lived a full week up the Mount at the Observatory). Amazing experience.

(10)
Debbie,
August 27, 2012 3:20 PM

We just returned form New Hampshire

Last week we did Mt Washington by car .Some times in life it is better not to know what awaits you and the drive up Mt Washintton is one of these times. I was on the passanger side of the car so I got the views of the sheer thousand ft drops no guard rail etc. i was in a cold sweat by the time we reached the top. Down is easier because most of the time you are on the mountain side and and it is some other poor Schmucks turn to experience the white nuckle sweat up the Mt.
Not content with this experience two days later we did the cog rail up the mountain. We took the first train of the day which happened to be a stream locomotive which pulled the car straight up the mountain (about 4000ft give or take) up was fine. As we all sat down for the decent, the driver explained to us how this would be,he used two words...... brakes and gravity and he was not kidding. We were uncoupled from the stream locomotive (so if anything went wrong we would not be pulled by an out of control engine) the woman behind me screamed and down we went.
If you love engineering feats it is an amazing experience

(9)
Anonymous,
August 27, 2012 7:08 AM

How could you take chances like that?

Thank Gd who watched over and protected your family. The Torah exhorts us, however, to carefully guard our precious presents of health and of life itself. We are trustees, not owners of our bodies, all the more so those of our family. Not being scared of unnecessary danger is the domain of reckless daredevils. I also don't understand how government bodies could sanction such a road without guardrails and be allowed to get away with it, not to speak of encouraging 'getting your bumper sticker'...

Anonymous,
August 27, 2012 11:16 PM

unsafe path?

In the article. Rabbi Leff opened his heart and gave a candid account of his experience. So, I would be surprised if he "climbed" Mt. Washington for some kind of thrill to endanger his family. I am sure he just wanted a nice vacation. This road has been a tourist attraction for over 150 years. Most people have a good experience and even return. Rabbi Leff and his family had a frightening trip due to weather conditions which are out of our control. There are many dangerous roads in this country without guard rails (not tourist attractions, but roads that people must travel to get to work, grocery stores, medical care, etc.). This is why we believe in G-d in such circumstances and also do our personal best to get down the road. Perhaps instead of mentally composing himself, careful driving and prayer, Rabbi Leff should have called the government for assistance.

(8)
Anonymous,
August 27, 2012 1:14 AM

So funny!

Are you sure you are not related to me? I could totally identify with you driving down the mountain and it made me laugh. I love the message of nothing being insignificant in our service to God.

(7)
Rich,
August 26, 2012 11:39 PM

Neat Story...

My family and I love New Hampshire, thanks for the tip! I think we'll skip MT. Washington though and stick to Funspot, The Countries biggest 80's Video Arcade near Meredith NH. Yet, We might cheat and see if there is a youtube video of the mountain driving up, or by rail, to experience it safely.
Thanks!

(6)
Rachel,
August 26, 2012 10:32 PM

You think you got problems -- my family wants to hike up!

They're all adults, so there's really not much I can do to stop them (and of course they have enough sense to only go in summer, bring appropriate clothing, etc), but still.....
As for me, I'll take the cog railway up again and meet them there....

(5)
maf,
August 26, 2012 7:31 PM

how to safely descend

To anyone reading this who isn't aware, this advice could save your life. WHEN DRIVINV DOWN LONG GRADES DO NOT RIDE YOUR BRAKES. Instead, use your transmissions low gears to use engine braking instead. If you ride your brakes you may overheat them, and then you will not bs able to stop.

(4)
Elisheva,
August 26, 2012 5:16 PM

LOL

I was terrified as my husband was driving down Mount Washington too.... LOL -- Next time you should take the narrow rail road up to the summit! ☺
Thank you for the good laugh and the inspiration. L'shana Tovah Tikateiv Veteichatein! ☺

(3)
Anonymous,
August 26, 2012 4:38 PM

A simple lesson

learned from a challenging situation. Thanks for the story and insights.

(2)
linda moffitt,
August 26, 2012 2:27 PM

This is very amusing but brought forth a great truth! Thank you for sharing!